When I had read the first few pages of "In Distant Fields" by Charlotte Binghaml, I had to check back and look at the publishing date. Yes, it really is 2006, which I first found hard to believe since it seems much more old-fashioned both because of the style and the content.

The story is sweeping, told at a large scale. While the blurb makes it sound as if it is primarily a novel about World War One, the war only starts after about half of the story. Before that, we accompany young Kitty Knowle while she makes her way up into better society. Although she is a member of the upper classes herself, her chances of marrying someone suitable are small since her father is a notorious gambler. When her best friend from school, Lady Partita, invites Kitty to spend Christmas with her at her family's castle in the countryside, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime.
Through Kitty's eyes, the reader experiences the luxurious lives of the aristocracy, including love, friendship and heartbreak, adventures, hopes and jealousies, until all of that comes to an expected, yet sudden stop when the war begins.

The second half deals mainly with the experiences of the women during the war, working as nurses in London or at the castle, which has been transformed into a hospital for convalescents. But there are also occasional chapters featuring the men, fighting in Belgium and France. The story features historical events such as the sinking of the Lusitania and the Battle of Loos, as well as many details of life in England. However, while there are many emotions, it is all told from a distance, and somehow it seems to be neither one thing nor the other. There are so, so many characters (not only Kitty, Partita and their respective love interests, but also a whole set of friends as well as some of their parents!), and the story spans several years, so despite the length of 602 pages, some chapters feel rushed. I think that it should have been longer to do more justice to the characters and not to cut out so much that was important, or the author should not have included quite so many characters. The distant point of view added to the feeling of reading about these people without being really close to them.

Nevertheless, I actually did enjoy this novel, and I felt with the characters, rooted for them, and was touched many times. I loved the descriptions of life at the castle before the war, which made the contrast to later events even stronger. Although I am not convinced of the distant point of view of the narration, I loved the writing style itself. I am not sure if I will read anything else by the author, but I do not regret reading this. ( )